A. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to appliance door constructions and, more particularly, to a new and improved automatic, front-loading dishwasher door with a molded console and molded inner door.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Door constructions, particularly those for electrical or gas kitchen appliances, are old and well-known in the prior art as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,686,831; 2,580,957; 2,623,249; 2,720,683; 2,859,843; 2,871,082; 3,024,074; 3,105,726; 3,149,624; 3,294,461; 3,313,065; 3,328,927; 3,525,190; 3,766,700; 3,773,399; 3,854,762; 3,936,107; and 4,229,921. The '831 patent relates to a door construction for a service cabinet. The '957 patent relates to an oven door construction having glass panels, ore of which is mounted for removal to permit the easy cleaning cf the interior faces of the glass panels. The '249 patent relates to a metal door construction having a removable panel.
The '683 patent concerns a refrigerator door construction and more specifically a scheme for mounting decorative panels to the outer surface of a refrigerator door. The '843 patent concerns architectural wall panels and the method and devices for mounting such wall panels to a wall. The '082 patent concerns the construction of a dishwasher door to achieve air circulation and the trapping of moisture.
The '074 patent also concerns the construction of a dishwasher door that provides for the venting of steam or vapor generated during the dishwashing process. The '726 patent concerns the construction of a desk to accommodate interchangeable panels for the desk. The '624 patent relates to the construction of a door for a kitchen range with an exterior finish for matching other kitchen furnishings.
The '461 patent relates to a dishwasher door construction as depicted in FIGS. 2-10 of that patent. As discussed in the '461 patent, the door construction disclosed therein is directed to providing a dishwasher door with a minimum number of parts and having a fixed particular fastener scheme for securing trim or decorative door panels to the door to facilitate the substitution of different door panels depending upon the decor desired. The '065 patent concerns the construction of a refrigerator door in a manner to achieve a desired decorative effect to the front of the door.
The '927 patent concerns paneling schemes for the interior wall of an elevator in which the decorative effect can be easily and quickly changed. The '190 patent concerns constructions for refrigerator doors and, more specifically, door trim and panel mounting assemblies. The '700 patent concerns an attachment scheme for securing decorative trim strips to the door of a kitchen appliance. The '399 patent concerns the construction of the front of a refuse compactor that provides for interchangeability of decorative front panels. The '762 patent discloses an automatic dishwasher of the type useful in connection with the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The '762 patent specifically relates to a door latch for holding the dishwasher door in a sealed position. The '107 and '921 patents are discussed in detail in the "Background of the Invention" portion of the above-identified co-pending, commonly assigned patent application, which patent application is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
While, as discussed above, many different door constructions, particularly those for kitchen appliances, have been suggested, a need exists in the dishwasher field for the provision of increased rigidity with respect to door constructions of the type disclosed in the above-identified copending, commonly assigned patent application, formed basically by a polygonally-shaped metal frame weldment to which is secured a molded plastic console and a molded plastic inner door. In that type of construction, the door is pivotable between an open position and a closed position along a horizontal axis at the lower extremity of its metal frame. Because lightweight, molded plastic parts are used for the console and the inner door construction, the torsional rigidity in the upper door area is a concern. Without torsional rigidity in that area, the overall dishwasher door may seem to be of an insubstantial construction, reducing its perceived quality, and may result in a lack of registration of the interconnecting portions of the dishwasher door latch.